Just Below the Surface
by MegaTank
Summary: With the Devil sent packing, all seems well for the Inkwell Isles. Yet, Mugman cannot help but be pulled into another adventure. Drawn to the ancestral home of the alluring yet enigmatic Cala Maria, he learns the truth about her, the mermaids she once called family and the deadly deal she struck so long ago.


_Dwop_.

The bobber gently broke the calm waters. A perfect cast, if Mugman said so himself. Though he'd only started the week before. So far, he'd only caught a few small fries. That didn't really matter, though. _This was nice_.

He'd experienced more than enough excitement and close calls for one lifetime. Going toe-to-toe with the Devil alone saw to that. His brother could enjoy the praise and adulation. He was the one who started all of this, anyhow. Cuphead was probably laughing it up in that candy castle right now-

 _Woah_ , a bite! Finally. The line jerked forward, his boat rocked back and forth. Feisty one, this. Left, right, backwards, for-

 _Oh_. The line went slack, and right on cue, there was a soft splash just behind where Mugman sat.

" _Yoo-hoo_!"

Mugman rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but smile. "Good morning, Cala."

"Aww, don't you want to check out my new style?" Right, that was a thing she liked to do, wasn't it? Mugman pulled the line back; there probably weren't any fish left that weren't scared away. He turned to face Cala, and-

"Gah!" Mugman expected her to hanging off the boat, not _right next to him_. Cala's quick hands were just quick enough to stop him from tumbling into the water.

" _Sorry_ , sorry," she gasped, bring Mugman back upright.

Mugman shook his head. "It's fine, really." No real harm done. The fish were starting to try his patience anyway. Now he took a closer look, Cala did have a good sense of style.

Truth be told, all of the depictions of mermaids Mugman ever saw sported _human_ hair, not an octopus. Certainly not an octopus with snake-tentacles. Cala made the best of it, all things considered. In this instance, she curled the tentacles around her face, both of them forming into symmetrical crescents. Did she manage to stretch them out? _Was it proper to ask about these things_?

"You look- _nice_ ," Mugman finally managed, just a little flustered.

"Well, that's better than 'okay'," Cala admitted. "And you finally managed to call me Cala. Not bad." 'Cala Maria' _was_ a bit of a mouthful to say every time. Though she wouldn't say why, Cala flatly refused to be called 'miss Maria' either. Mugman still felt vaguely uncomfortable with it. He and his brother saved Cala Maria, but he didn't really _know_ her. Just that she never wasted an opportunity to pop up from below just to say hello.

"Have you shown anyone else?" Mugman couldn't remember her talking with anyone else _at all_ , but Elder Kettle taught him better than to just imply she didn't have any friends.

Cala looked away, with just a hint of discomfort. "Well, _no_. Not yet, anyway." Her gaze turned to the water behind Mugman. "So, what are you trying to catch, anyway?"

"Oh, just hoping I can get big. I promised I could get us enough for dinner." It most definitely _wasn't_ because his brother said he couldn't.

"I know a few good spots. I could bring something up for you, okay?"

Mugman sighed. "I told you. That's _cheating_." He looked down at the clear waters. Where _were_ all the fish? It would take a while to find a new spot. He leaned over to Cala. "Maybe if I can't catch something myself. Wouldn't want to disappoint everyone when I go home."

" _Weeeell_. Just for you, alright? Give me the word, and I'll find something nice." With that, Mugman started to row the boat out, hopefully towards more bountiful waters. For a few minutes, the two of them sat there, only the sounds of the oars breaking the water to stop total silence.

"What about you?" Mugman suddenly asked. "You have any family? Back home?"

"Well, no- _maybe_." Cala sighed. Did she lose her family? Or worse? "It's been so long since I went home. I dunno what happened, or if everyone's okay." There was a brief flash of concern on her face " _I sure hope they're alright_ ," she murmured.

Mugman glared, though not directly at her. "Why wouldn't they be alright? Where are they? Maybe I can check for you."

"I- you have to keep this a secret, alright? Promise me you won't tell anyone about this." She was almost never this serious. Was that part of the possible danger?

Mugman nodded. "Of course. _I promise_."

"Well, alright. Watercolour Reef. My old home is- _was_ Watercolour Reef." Mugman noticed an attempt at a smile on her lips. Did Cala even _want_ to return?

"Great!" Mugman piped up. "Why don't we just head over there and-"

" _Forget it_ ," Cala cut in. "I don't remember the way back there. There's no point in us wandering through the open sea." She looked out into the waters, smile completely faded. "Come on, let's go get you that fish."

Without another word, Cala leapt off the boat, vanishing into the waters before Mugman could even see her go. Must be a rather touchy subject. Why, though?

Mugman just couldn't leave this alone. Perhaps he was more like his brother than he realised.

* * *

Cala was once again as good as her word, hauling a large bass in her arms minutes after she dove beneath the waves. The only thing missing was her large, beaming smile whenever she made a great catch. Something that bothered Mugman more than it perhaps should have. The whole conversation ended on a sour note, dwelling on his mind throughout the day.

So once they had eaten and the sun finally dipped below the horizon, Mugman did something rare, even for him: do some research. It wasn't too difficult to find maps and charts of the vast seas surrounding the Inkwell Isles. Finding the Watercolour Reef that Cala mentioned was another story entirely.

Not a trace of it anywhere. No matter what map he checked, how far out he looked, even more dated charts didn't show a sign of it anywhere. One or two being incomplete would be understandable, but _all_ of them? It didn't seem right. Yet they all came up with nothing every single time he tried checking. Watercolour Reef should have been out there somewhere. Right?

That was, unless she flat out _lied_ to Mugman. He pushed that possibility aside for the moment. If Cala really wanted him not to know, she could have simply told him so. Still, it seemed he was going nowhere. Perhaps there would be-

"Ah, my boy. Aren't you up a little late?" Elder Kettle's voice startled Mugman. How late was it, anyway? A glance at the grandfather clock showed past eleven o'clock.

"Oh, sorry. I was just looking for something- _somewhere_. It's for a friend." It was quite the mess of maps on the table in front of him. Time wasn't the only thing he'd lost track of, clearly.

"A friend, you say?" Elder Kettle looked over the papers, including the notes Mugman drafted. "This is an awful lot of effort for a friend. Don't tell me some fine young chalice has caught your eye?"

Mugman was flustered at first, then a little confused. "No, it really is a- _friend_." There was only one chalice he knew of, who could no longer be counted among the living. "There's a place they wanted me to find. Okay, maybe they didn't _ask_. It was something they seemed to care about, though."

Kettle beamed. "My, all this for a friend? My boy, you're becoming a fine young pitcher."

Mugman scratched his porcelain temple. "Pitcher?"

"Of course. A cup or a mug is fine for one to drink from, but a pitcher provides refreshment for many." Kettle shook his head. "I'm proud of you, nonetheless. It seems you've taken a shine to helping others in need ever since your little trip to that _ghastly_ casino. I just wish your brother could be a little more like you."

Mugman blinked. " _Really_? Have you told him?"

Kettle shook his head. "This is a path he must take by himself. I'm hoping he learned a valuable lesson from that bet of his. If not, well- at least we can give him a reminder of where his recklessness can get him." Mugman broke Kettle's spiel with a loud yawn. "But we've spoken enough. It's time to rest. Tomorrow, I'll have something you can use."

* * *

The next morning, the brothers' guardian proved himself once again to be as good as his word, producing a map for Mugman to look at, on the condition that he show no one else. Not even his brother. This map was an oddity. It was drawn by someone far from professional, yet Mugman resolved to look over every nook and cranny, certain this one would lead to places no other map he could find would.

It was a matter of minutes before something caught his eye. _Watercolour Bay_. Right there. There was a series of rock formations out to sea, the area seemed to sport every colour Mugman could think of. Was this really what it looked like? One could only imagine the beauty of the real thing. This still wasn't quite right, though. Cala _definitely_ said Reef. Why would this be-

His forehead gave a loud _clink_ as he slapped it. _Of course_. The Reef was under the water, while this map could only show what was above it. This was his best bet. It _had_ to be. Now he simply needed to compare this with the other maps he found, then he would know how to find this place. How did Elder Kettle come across this map, anyway? A story for another time. Mugman suspected his guardian must have dozens, at least.

Plenty to time to ask about that later. For now, Mugman simply _needed_ to deliver the news. He took his boat out to the water, and he waited. Any minute now. _Any minute now_. Come on, wasn't there supposed to be a 'Yoo-Hoo' by now? His mind started to drift off, recalling the time him and Cala first _met_ , so to speak.

No sooner than Mugman and his brother flew their almost identical planes out to sea, did the then-colossal mermaid emerge from the deep waters. Another debtor, another battle to the bitter end. The whole thing felt even more distasteful than usual, and once again it was only Mugman's own debt that drove him ever forward. It was the same for all of their foes owing their soul: none of them attempted to flee, instead choosing to stand and fight. As it turned out, the Devil was more canny and insidious than anyone realised, using his foresight to add a clause to each contract forcing the holder to accept any challenge over it. All part of the game. Which only made it more cathartic to beat the tar out of him and literally burn away years of-

"YOO-HOO!"

"Would you _stop doing that_?" Couldn't she just once talk to him like a normal- "Cala!"

"Aww, I knew you would miss me. Or was that fish I got you not enough?" She leaned over, giving Mugman a sly smile.

Regaining his bearings, Mugman picked up the paper that narrowly avoided falling from the boat. "Great news, Cala. I found out where Watercolour Reef is! You can go home."

"I- _what_?" She started to back off from the side of the boat.

Mugman showed the map he drafted up. "Look here. If you travel at a bearing of about nine, ten degrees? You should be able to reach it, no problem."

Cala only seemed to glare at him. "Wait, you didn't _tell_ anyone about this, did you. You _promised_."

"I swear I didn't tell anyone," Mugman insisted. That wasn't technically a lie. Besides, Elder Kettle seemed to know of the place already. It wasn't as though the secret was in danger of getting out.

"I- you did this all of this by yourself? _For me_?" Mugman simply nodded, leaving Cala unable to muster any kind of response.

"Look, you don't have to go back if you don't want to." There was reason to suspect that she didn't want to return, even if she wouldn't explain why. "I just thought you would appreciate the option."

Cala vanished below the water in the blink of an eye. A few short seconds later, she was back. "Look, _thank you_. I just- I never thought anyone would ever find a way back. I'm grateful for this, really. _But_ -" Was this it? Would she finally explain- "Could you come with me, Mugman? I don't think I can go back on my own."

 _What_? Just leave the home he'd known for all his life? It wasn't quite so simple. Like the day before, it was more a question of _could_ rather than _should_. "I'm sorry, Cala. Me and my brother? We just can't swim. We don't really know why. Maybe something to do with our heads?" That probably sounded like an excuse. Like he didn't _want_ to help out.

To her credit, Cala seemed fall less crestfallen than Mugman expected. She was currently more focused on something below the water. "GAH!" She cried.

"What is it?" Mugman looked into the water. He couldn't find any danger. Cala was still breathing heavily.

"It's fine, really." Cala's flustered face told a different story, but Mugman was too focused on the brilliant green scale being waved in his face. "Here, take this. _Please_ ,"

"Is- is this yours?" Mugman asked. Stupid question, really. He just couldn't quite believe Cala just _ripped_ this from her own body like it was nothing.

"Well, it's yours. I mean, I want you to have it." Cala blushed. "With this, you should be able to swim, even underwater."

Mugman was curious, if nothing else. Was this akin to other powerups him and Cuphead collected? Only one way to find out. Still in awe of its lustrous shine, Mugman tenderly took the scale from Cala's hands.

The moment he made contact, several things happened at once. The first thing he noticed was the screen covering his eyes, like a diver mask. Where did this even come from? What happened to his hands and feet, for that matter? Or rather, the clothes he wore over them. His hands, and by extension his gloves webbed together, and thin flippers had grown from his feet. Strangest of all, the top of his head was now sealed up tight. _What kind of power was this_? Mermaid magic?

"You look- _different_ ," Cala finally said. Somewhat of an understatement. "But you should be able to swim now." In theory, yes. Was he supposed to just dive off, leave his brother and guardian, his _home_ behind just because Cala wanted him to? It seemed even she had no idea what was waited beyond the sea.

"Are you sure you want me to come along?" Mugman asked, awaiting the obvious answer.

" _Please_ ," Cala finally responded. Okay, maybe not so obvious. Even more surprising was the tender hand placed over his. Did it really mean so much that he join her? Mugman wanted to go home, talk to Kettle and maybe even his brother. Think this through. The only thing that stopped him was the window of opportunity he felt closing on him. Who knew if Cala would have to courage to return to her old home, or ask him to help again if he simply turned away now.

Mugman would simply have to take a page from his brother's book, and roll the dice.

"Alright, Cala. Let's go." With that, he leaped from the side of the boat, lunging into the watery world below.


End file.
